Alva Beach – Ayr -to Charters Towers

Warren still has his awful cold & I’m still ‘clearing my sinuses’ but feeling better at last. He sent me a text to wish me happy birthday at 1.48am! 

After a lovely hot breakfast we ‘hit the road again’! Lovely to hear from family & friends.

We shopped in Ayr then on our way. Lovely drive via link road (red!) to Woodstock. We took a while to find it – NO ROAD SIGNS IN AYR COUNCIL AREA!!!!!! Maps shows it going off to left right opposite Giru – which we did & ended up in sugar can farmers’ backyard! No one to be seen – drove back & eventually found guy electrically winching cane cages off & on his truck (to take out & fill at Cane cutting then bring back to rail for train pick up!) He said ‘your looking for the Woodstock Road aren’t you’?

More market gardens being planted (beans, melons etc) as well as cane cutting in full production.

We stopped at Reid River (dry) for birthday cookies & cream frosted cup cake! Charters Towers only a little further on – another red Flinders Highway! Countryside still greenish, gum trees – but it is winter (27 degrees) don’t think I’d like to be doing it in summer!

CT quite big, well spread out. LOTS of original buildings, very well maintained & impressive  – from 1870’s gold discovery days. Beautiful old Post Office,

Great look out over town & whole area from Tower Hill. Info Centre very helpful with tours everywhere & ‘hands on’ discovery centres & displays. At least 3 caravan parks – ours beautiful & FULL! Bush poet’s recital in afternoon & ‘campers 3 course meals’ 3 times a week &15!  

We had my birthday dinner at the Sovereign Tavern – lovely. I had Trader Jacks Barramundi & Warren had Dirty Cowboys Delight!!!!  YUM!